Tourism: The Land of Lincoln will enjoy another "presidential halo effect" on its tourism industry, observers say. The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau predicts increased interest in South Side areas tied to Obama and in Springfield, where he announced his candidacy. European tourist agencies are already making inquiries, said Mark Theis, executive vice president of the bureau. Still, the tourism bump may be smaller than it was for other recent presidents, said hospitality expert Bjorn Hanson of New York University's Tisch Center. "When President Bush Sr. went to Maine it had a significant boost to tourism because of scenes of him in his boat, fishing," he said. "I don't foresee too much of Barack Obama water-skiing behind a boat on the lake."

Kennedy Expressway: The airport closest to Obama's home, Midway, has no runway long enough to accommodate the 747 often used as Air Force One. Which means Obama is likely to land at O'Hare and head south on the Kennedy Expressway, causing annoying tie-ups. One alterative would be for him to travel by helicopter from O'Hare. Perhaps the inconvenience will prompt the new president to fast-track the efforts of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., a national campaign co-chairman, to build an airport near Peotone.

His neighborhood: Will TV's glare ruin the Hyde Park area's mix of upscale intellectual life and downscale street culture? Will local treasures like Valois, a steam-table restaurant with the slogan "See your food," be plundered by national correspondents looking for feature stories? The only solution: When strangers ask for directions to "Val-wah" (the French pronunciation) instead of "Val-oyz" (the Hyde Park pronunciation), the locals should feign ignorance.

His block: After Obama won the Democratic nomination, authorities put concrete barriers at either end of his block, which is located in Kenwood but often is considered part of Hyde Park. Now that Obama is president-elect, security can only get tighter. While some neighbors have grumbled at inconveniences, a neighboring house of worship isn't grousing. "We've got the safest temple in the world!" said Linda Ross, executive director of the KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation.

SHORT-TERM

University of Chicago: Obama, a former U. of C. law professor, has included the university's experts in his brain trust. Will any of them move to Washington? And will the U. of C. steal the Ivy League's reputation as launching pad for presidents? Since universities love earmarks as much as paving contractors do, the U. of C. grant writers must be salivating. The university gets $330 million annually in federal funds. If it can't up the loot--with a former professor as president and with First Lady-elect Michelle still in the U. of C. Medical Center's employ--then surely dumbing down has come to the Midway.

Oprah Winfrey: It's not as if Winfrey really needed a boost in popularity. But Obama's victory is a landslide victory for her, endorsing her remarkable influence. Her phone calls to the White House will be answered.

William Ayers: The professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago should not bother checking his mail for an inauguration invitation. His connections with Obama were grist for conservatives throughout the campaign season. While the effect on Ayers' career will take time to gauge, it's undoubtedly been negative. Last month, the University of Nebraska canceled an Ayers speech, citing security concerns.

LONG-TERM

Adler's project: Adler Planetarium will keep seeking federal funding to replace its aging Zeiss optical projection system, which John McCain made into a campaign issue. McCain mocked Obama for seeking a $3 million congressional earmark "for an overhead projector." The system is the heart of the Adler, projecting sky shows in its central theater. "We will ask again" for federal funding for the projector, said Charles Katzenmeyer, the Adler's vice president of external affairs. "Will we get it? I don't know." Katzenmeyer said the Adler didn't expect the new president to get involved with the earmark process, but thought Illinois' "wonderfully supportive" congressional delegation would help.

Mass transit: State and local transit officials are buzzing about the federal grants that could come to northeastern Illinois with the help of the Obama administration. Some believe the potential Obama bonanza will far exceed the transit funding heyday years when Dennis Hastert, the Republican from Yorkville, was House speaker. But don't spend the money yet. An unanswered question is how Obama will rank transportation in relation to other pressing priorities. Do you recall Obama talking during the campaign about gridlock and about getting people out of their cars and into modern shiny trains and buses? Probably not.

Other urban needs: Chicago aldermen are hopeful that Obama will bring home the goodies. Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th) wants federal help to hire police officers. Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) envisions Obama rewarding unions so that "maybe they will ease up on the local level. I might even be able to get a Wal-Mart now."

Olympic bid: In the bidding war for the 2016 Olympics, Chicago's hand just got hotter. With Obama as president, "that's Chicago's ace in the hole," said sports industry expert Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp Ltd. Obama's win represents a shift in foreign policy that should play well with International Olympic Committee members, who will select a host city next October, observers say. If Chicago is selected, Obama's presence in the White House likely will help efforts to land federal funds for transportation projects in time for the Summer Games, said sports economist Allen Sanderson, of the University of Chicago.

White Sox: Good guys wear black--and soon there will be a White Sox fan in the White House. "I think it's going to be tremendous," said Scott Reifert, the Sox's vice president of communications. Reifert is looking forward to the Sox winning the title again and going to the White House. "I'm going to guess that if we're fortunate enough to win the World Series, we might have the run of the place. An impromptu game might break out on the South Lawn."

Many Americans assumed the Confederate flag was retired for good after governors in South Carolina and Alabama removed it from their statehouses this summer and presidential candidates from both parties declared it too divisive for official display.

Now there are two: Zimbabwe accused a Pennsylvania doctor on Sunday of illegally killing a lion in April, adding to the outcry over a Minnesota dentist the African government wants to extradite for killing a well-known lion named Cecil in early July.